Boats, Beaches, Raw Seafood & The Count
I Heart Italia is proud to present the first in series of guest blogs from their newest contributor, The Count of Positano.
Most of the time, you can go in many, many restaurants on the Amalfi Coast and see pretty much the same menu. Which is completely fine. Supply and demand. There’s a handful of popular regional dishes that, it seems to me, are required by law to be served. But, once in awhile, when I can’t bear another spaghetti vongole (clams) or another zuppa di cozze (mussels), or another plate of mozzarella di bufala, I need a little something special for my insatiable foodie heart. The latest cure for my aversion to culinary monotony came in the form of a little gem of a restaurant in Conca Dei Marini named La Tonnarella. Conca Dei Marini is one of the smaller of the old fishing villages on the coast in between Positano and Amalfi. In the 60′s it was a frequent vacation destination for Sophia Loren and also Jacqueline Kennedy and her family. Nearby is the famous Grotta Dello Smeraldo (Emerald Grotto). Because of its location, it gets missed by many tourists. Not a bad thing. The Italians know where it is though, and they love it! I know where it is too, and rented a boat to head that way. Rented, because I don’t own a boat here, YET. I’m working on it! You can see some of their menu on the site below, but I want to talk about the Crudo di Mare (raw seafood). This platter is not for everyone. Especially those squeamish about raw seafood or short-of-pocket. It is all raw and it is not the cheapest antipasti you could order. As a sushi devotee, I got light-headed when I gazed upon this gift, or challenge maybe, from Neptune. Yes, I worship Neptune, but that’s for another blog! Now, since I’m not a marine biologist, I will just tell you that local fresh shrimp, crayfish(?), clams, and oysters are served on a bed of ice with fresh local lemons. The seafood is fresh from that morning. Have I said fresh enough yet?? The lemons are in abundance on this coast and the best you’ll ever eat. The wine, which I’m quite fond of, was local too! For me, to eat raw shrimp with a little squeeze of lemon and then follow it up with a “generous” sip of local wine while staring blissfully into the Tyrrhenian Sea is nothing short of sublime. You don’t see something like this often, and it’s something you won’t soon forget. It’s my favorite Amalfi Coast treat, and one that has haunted, in a good way, my father ever since he first had it. If you ever find yourself here, give the dish a try, along with everything else they make! Also, look for me there. I’ll be the one passed out in his chair in front of a table with a 2 feet high stack of shrimp shells and 3 empty bottles of wine. It’s okay to wake me up. I love meeting new friends! Especially ones with another bottle of wine….
The Count of Positano
Here’s the link: http://www.ristorantelatonnarella.com/
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